Packers back on track with win over Vikings

There were bags of orange slices that had gone uneaten and unwrapped whey protein bars and full water jugs with the lids still on. They knew, for instance, that it put the Packers back in control of the division race, with an early tiebreaker and a far less daunting schedule over the season’s final six weeks. The Viking defense had success of its own forcing Green Bay to punt thwarting five straight third down conversions. “The opportunities were slim, and we just couldn’t get going for whatever reason”, Peterson said. They came against the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers, two teams with combined records of 16-2. That especially helped because the Vikings were behind by two scores every time they had the ball in the second half, and that meant they couldn’t run Adrian Peterson as much as they’d have liked.

The Packers defense was also phenomenal in this effort.

As for Green Bay’s dormant pass rush, Datone Jones had two of the team’s six sacks of Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Starting in place of Marshawn Lynch, out with an abdominal injury, Rawls posted his third 100-yard rushing game of his rookie season and the second time topping 160 yards.

Adrian Peterson has 961 yards in nine games, four more yards than he had after nine games in his 2,000 yard season in 2012. It wasn’t just the first quarter; it was most of the first half, where Rodgers was running for his life. He had 16 completions and 18 incompletions, and that was emblematic of an offense that often appeared out of rhythm and out of sync.

“It’s kind of rough sometimes they give me a hard time sometimes because i’m usually the only one in here in purple”, said Cortney Erchul, a Vikings fan. Jordy Nelson is clearly missed, but Rodgers (and the WR corps) must step up if the Packers have a chance at winning another Super Bowl.

Did Green Bay look ideal? The rematch is on January 3 in Green Bay.

Now, there is only one question: Can the Packers do it again?

The Vikings took the lead when Teddy Bridgewater connected with Kyle Rudolph avoiding the tackle and staying on his feet for a 47-yard score, making it 6-3 Vikings.

“I think it’s from the top to the bottom”, Peterson said. “Those things will beat a good football team”.

“They’ve taken our division the last four years, and everyone knows that the division goes through (Green Bay)”.

The Packers saw their three-game losing streak come to an end and the Vikings five-game win streak is also history. “It’s from the coaches on both sides, and the players”.

Meanwhile, Green Bay will try to build another winning run this week as quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets back into form after three sluggish games. “Everybody wants us to point fingers at each other, but we know the team that we have, we know the guys in this locker room and our coaching staff. We all believe in each other”.

Last week Cordarrelle Patterson recorded his first kick return touchdown since October 27, 2013.

It looked as if the Packers would be taking a 9-6 lead into halftime, but Newman was called for a 50-yard defensive pass interference penalty while defending Packers wide receiver Jeff Janis down the right sideline.

If you thought the Vikings lost only because of questionable penalties, you’re deluding yourself.